This website was originally started to follow only the NFL and NBA drafts, so while this is also a Bulls website, I’m going to be covering the NBA Draft as a whole, with Chicago perspective obviously thrown in along the way (Just like the NFL Draft).

Being an avid TrueHoop reader, my first thought on the Blazers winning the lottery was “good for Henry Abbot”. I’ve obviously never met him before, but he seems like a solid dude and he runs a great site. The Blazers were tied for the worst record last season, and they came away with the fourth pick (although they did get two studs); it good to see downtrodden franchises turned around with just a single ping pong ball. Seattle getting two is also pretty interesting. Everyone knows that franchise isn’t permanently in Seattle, maybe a pick like Durant could help save the team. As for my Bulls…well 9 is pretty much what I thought would happen. Roy Hibbert pulling his name out of the mix this morning hurts too, but the Bulls should still have their options of Noah, Hawes, Splitter and a few others. My BlogsbyFans brethren Jack Cobra wrote a post last night about trade possibilities (most of which I think are completely bogus, but what do I know); trading the pick is definitely also an option. My gut feeling right now about the Bulls is Spencer Hawes, and that’s a Big I’d like. He has a lot of things John Paxson looks for in his basketball players (he’s white), and a true freshman center averaging 15 points a game is pretty impressive (and only .8 ppg less then Oden). He, like Big Roy, could still pull out of the draft, but if he sticks in, and Pax can’t pull off a trade, I think he could be the pick. That’s my initial thought, at least. Other draft thoughts and questions:

This keeps the balance of power in the West.

The best way for the NBA to finally even out the major conference disparity was to have Oden and Durant go to an Eastern Conference team. That’s (almost certainly) not going to happen. With two of the best teenage NBA prospects of all-time heading into the conference, the West is going to be tenacious for years to come. (But this is good for the Bulls because it means Milwaukee isn’t adding a stud. Our division is tough enough as it is, the last thing I needed to see was Durant schooling Ben Wallace all the time.)

Could the Blazers take Durant?

I would if I were the Blazers. I’ll get into my thoughts on Durant as the draft approaches, but I think he’s one of the best NBA prospects ever. Kevin Durant can instantly make a franchise a winner, Greg Oden is one of those guys that needs pieces around him. Granted, the Blazers do have pieces already in place, Aldridge, Roy, Webster, Randolph, the Spanish point guard, Jarrett Jack, but, for me personally, I couldn’t pass up Durant. And I really think there is a legit change Portland takes him. GM Kevin Pritchard said in an interview that they’re going to take the best player. The best player is Kevin Durant. Let’s see if Pritchard follows his word.

What happens to Rashard Lewis?

Rashard Lewis is going to become a free agent, does this pick make the Sonics any more or less inclined to sign him? The thing is this:

Shoals: shard + durant=nowhere to run
Shoals: what could be more effective than having two identical players on the floor

That was from (for my money) the best basketball writer on the planet, Bethlehem Shoals, over at FreeDarko. Kevin Durant basically is Rashard Lewis. Their the same guy. Actually, that’s not entirely true because Durant, while still only 18, is better already. But they do bring the same skill set to the floor. Think of Kevin Durant as Rashard Lewis version 3.0; he’s a better shooter, rebounder, more atheltic, and is signifcantly younger. But how awesome would pairing those two brothers together on the same team be? I’m not sure if it’s smart, but man, it would it be fun.

Celtics get boned.

TANK YOU VERY MUCH. Seriously, it couldn’t happen to a nicer group of fans (go to #6.).

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